Grande Réserve (Blue)Bières de Chimay

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Pours dark ruby with a great head that melds into "rolling hills" as the head ever so gradually dissipates. There's a pungent yeast aroma. Slight amount of fruity esters on the nose too. Fair amount of carbonation. Goes down the hatch fairly smooth for a 9% a/v. Either this beer is fairly bland or I just have a hard time identifying taste qualities in Belgian beers. I get a little sour tartness and a deeply hidden candied apple taste. I don't get much more. It is a very drinkable high alcohol beer without a lot of appealing flavors in my opinion. Blasphemy I know being such a highly regarded Trappist brew.

An outstanding beer, very close to "perfect". I agree with all the positive things said by other reviewers, and has little more to add. The spicy, oaky complexity of the aroma and flavour is "out of this world". Wonderful, lingering aftertaste. Alcohol is well hidden. Simply exceptional!

Everything about this beer was great except I couldn't drink the whole bottle. Nice pour, bits of spice but mostly fruit on the nose. The Red and Blue were available in MN. I heard the Red was better but never got to it, now I can't find it. One thing though, make sure the bottle wasn't either overly cold or sitting warm. Everybody I know ended up with an inconsistent bottle or a bad tongue.

This is one of those beer-nirvana experiences. You can tell by the look (ruby-brown, rich tan head), and the aroma (dark fruit, spice, brown sugar, pepper), that this is special. The taste is so complex, yet so balanced, that God must be playing a part in there somewhere (and I am not necessarily a religious man!). Sweet, dry finish. This is a world-class beer!

This from a batch/or bottled in Jan. '01, purchased on the day of my Daughter's birth, aged with a LOT of patience for exactly 1 year in my cellar. Pours a beautiful slightly hazy ruby-ish hue, with the usual lively& effervescent Chimay head, nose is oh so slightly corky, with the "horse blanket" bouquet present. Taste - smooth maltiness followed by a nice complexity of (in order of domination)malt yeast & hops...the aftertaste just seems to evolve everytime I smack my lips, with just enough hop bitterness to make themselves known. Beautiful, a great bottle enjoyed on a great occasion! Beers of this magnitude are meant to be savored for special times.

I went to a excellent German restaurant / pub called Ludwigs with the wife here in Philly. I must say as far as the beer list goes, the place is heaven sent. The food was excellent too...back to the beer--&gt; Presentation: 33cl (11.2oz.) capped bottle. Exceptional brew, it has a copper / hazy / foggy appearance to it. A excellent malty sweetness that is well balanced with the peppery yeast spiciness that gives a nice alcohol warming sensation. Overall a excellent brew!

33 cl bottle, not dated. An excellent beer, no doubt. Another one of the world class beers that are so drinkable at 9% but it just didn't have the depth I was anticapating. Maybe I drank it too young but I'd much rather have a 75 cl bottle of Trios Pistoles for the same price.

This is one beer that will make you silly quicker than you would ever expect.. It's STRONG, but it tastes so good (very complex fruit notes), you'd never realize what it's doing to you.. This is made by monks?!? They must have a wicked sense of humor..

This beer demands respect. To fully appreciate it, it should be drank at the proper temperature, and hope that you have a good bottle, because the quality can vary. But if you get one of the good bottles....it's heaven. Incredible head and aroma, with a surprisingly light, fruity complex taste for its dark color. And some serious 9% kick. Drinking this beer at a campground near the brewery in Chimay, Belgium (where a 750ml bottle is $2.50) was a religious experience.